[Westheim]

For the Critters, the annual Winter Meetings started with a bang, trading away Joe Vanatti mainly for a very interesting relief prospect. The deal had been in the making over the previous week but was finalized on the first day of the get-together in Boston.

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December 11 – The Raccoons trade 33-yr old OF/1B Joe Vanatti (.273, 64 HR, 451 RBI) and 25-yr old AAA SP/MR Dante Saavedra to the Thunder for 34-yr old LF/RF Donovan May (.218, 9 HR, 61 RBI) and 21-yr old AAA CL Antonio Prieto.
December 11 – The Buffaloes sign ex-CIN CL Jonathan Snyder (43-35, 2.79 ERA, 233 SV) to a 3-yr, $3M contract.
December 11 – Further, the Buffoes add 1B Ruben Santiago (.278, 103 HR, 474 RBI) in a trade with the Blue Sox. The 33-year-old right-handed hitter comes with cash and at the expense of two prospects.
December 12 – Former Crusaders SP Robby Gonzalez (61-95, 4.37 ERA) signs a 2-yr, $2.94M contract with the Aces.
December 12 – Ex-Miners INF/CF Carlos de la Riva (.285, 140 HR, 683 RBI) signs up with the Cyclones for 4-yr, $8.24M.
December 13 – The Wolves trade first-year player 3B/2B Nick Rozenboom (.236, 16 HR, 76 RBI) to the Warriors for two prospects.
December 14 – Sioux Falls also adds former Raccoon 3B/2B/RF/LF Rich Hereford (.280, 197 HR, 817 RBI) on a 3-yr, $5.88M contract. The Raccoons receive a supplemental round pick as compensation.

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Prieto’s the price in the Vanatti trade. Vanatti was largely a disappointment, constantly hurt, and won’t be the future. Nor is Saavedra, a $86k July international free agent signed nine summers ago. Prieto might be the future. He is unranked as of now, but might well be ranked come spring. 93mph fastball with a vicious slider from the righty. Keeps ball on ground, and hitters uncomfortable. Control is not there yet and he was undressed in AAA in September, so he will start the season in Ham Lake. He doesn’t turn 22 until July, so he’s really young, but we really like him!

Donovan May is dead weight on any roster. The Juan Barzaga of hitters in the CL South. He is as old as he is, and was penciled into the starting lineup in the majors only 79 times. *In his career*. Can’t hit, can’t field, can’t run, but makes only $332k and that was required for the Thunder to balance their budget at this point. For $332k I will gladly release him, sign him again, and release him a second time!

We were still looking for an actual third base starter though, since I was rather hesitant to give the job to Justin Marsingill outright, only to find out that he’d bat .170 for the season in around mid-April… for a while at the meetings I talked to Boston’s GM about Justin Perkins, but he was a teetotaler and I couldn’t use my usual strategy of drinking other people under the table to get them to sign on the line. Stupid non-alcoholics! No fun to be around them!

The Titans however sought a young pitcher of the Sabre / del Rio mould in a deal for Perkins, so that was a no-no.

Not all that much happened at the Winter Meetings overall. While Rich Hereford got signed and we got our compensation pick, the really big names were all still out there. In fact, not a single type A free agent signed before the end of the Winter Meetings on December 15! The meetings ended eventually, but I called Maud and told her I’d not be coming home yet. – No, the bobblehead selections have to wait, Maud. I have to annoy somebody so I can get my will. – No, Maud, we’ll talk about it when I come back to… - Maud, we have to discuss this later whe-… - Yes, OKAY, Maud! We will have a Travis Zitzner bobblehead. If he reminds you of your favorite nephew, that’s FINE.

Then I hooked up with Eddie Mora, Titans GM, invited him for lobster, and then swiftly handcuffed both of us together at the table. Alright, listen, Eddie! I want that Perkins deal revisited, and I will not untie us before we have an agreement!!

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December 18 – The Raccoons trade 36-year-old LF Matt Jamieson (.266, 111 HR, 677 RBI) to the Titans for 30-yr old 3B/SS Justin Perkins (.275, 7 HR, 50 RBI), 33-yr old OF Adam Braun (.275, 111 HR, 600 RBI), and swathes of cash.

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YES. But I probably have some explaining to do. Well. Perkins has never been a starter at age 30, but have you ever seen the streaking Titans’ infield? They have Rhett West, Adam Corder (now a free agent), and a thousand other pretty things. Perkins might have been their starting third baseman *now* (since sans Corder), but we needed him more! Also, Braun. Adam Braun has won everything there is to win in the ABL, including a ****ing six rings, except for Rookie of the Year honors. He is also under contract for three more years at $3.28M each, and the Titans also wanted to get rid of him. That’s why they were letting Perkins go only if we gave them a young starter, or at least lessened the burden on them. We will really only have to pay his 2033 salary; this year he only costs us about $500k more than Jamieson’s contract and the cash we got from the Titans. And 2034 is a team option worth only $330k, so it is worth exactly as much. Under the final line we get two years of Adam Braun for about $4.1M. Which is a lot, but I think we can shake this out, somehow.

What is it, Eddie? – Oh, yeah, the handcuffs. (burrows free hand in pockets) Uhm. I was sure… no, not here, either… maybe in this one? … uhm… Say, your weekend retreat is on Nantucket? I always wanted to see Nantucket!